A DATE has been announced for this year’s Armed Forces Day celebration in Keighley.

The June 21 event, being held the second year running, will begin with a ceremony in the town hall square to acknowledge the UK’s armed forces.

Local cadets are then expected to march proudly through the streets of Keighley to the main showground in Victoria Park.

There will be children’s rides,, a large selection of Royal Navy equipment including liferafts, a shooting range, a falconry display, and information on services available to armed forces veterans.

The celebration will be organised by the recently-established Keighley Armed Forces Association.

The association was founded by volunteers who organised last year’s first successful Armed Forces Day celebration, led by Keighley man and former soldier Andrew Spence.

Mr Spence was a regimental signaller while in the infantry, and at the Armed Forces Day will host a “command post” allowing people to try their hand at Army Signals communications.

Mr Spence stressed that the 2015 event was in its early stages and he was waiting for confirmation from several organisations whether they would be involved.

He said: “The 217 Transport Regiment Royal Logistics Corps are hoping to come and hopefully some military vehicles.”

Mr Spence hoped that the parade would be allowed to go along Cavendish Street and Bradford Road past Keighley railway station.

But he said: “We’re still trying to get a road closure. The problem is that it’s on a bus route.”

Mr Spence said the 2015 event was being moved to Victoria Park because it was more suitable venue than Cliffe Castle Park, where it was last year held in the lower field.

He said: “Cliffe Castle is a beautiful location but for the purposes of our event it didn’t achieve what we wanted.

“Victoria Park is bigger, flatter, and more visible from the road. A lot of people didn’t realise where it was last year.”

Mr Spence said that although last year’s inaugural event was not as busy as he had hoped, it had still proved successful.

He added: “We had people from different ethnic backgrounds, and veterans who hadn’t realised what help is out there.

“This year’s event will acknowledge what the armed forces do, showing their human side, that they’re like anyone else with families.”

Anyone wishing to get involved with the event should call Mr Spence on 07896 254412 or e-mail chair.kafa@gmail.com.